Organization Chart

Technology Goals.doc

March 9, 2010
Items in yellow indicate topics of discussion at our March 16th meeting

Technology Goals	Enhance Learning	Effectively Integrate into the Classroom	Reduce Cost	Allow Flexibility	Provide Universal Connectivity
Why Goal is Important	Technology should be a tool to support the overarching learning goals of the district	No matter how great the technology is, if the teachers and students don’t embrace it, it will have no benefit. Accessible and compelling training is essential to ensure technology investments are not wasted.	Many strains already exist on our budget, keeping the cost of technology low is critical.	Technology and the world into which our students are graduating are both changing rapidly. To ensure that we can quickly change technologies at a low cost as either better solutions come available or new learning needs are identified our technology infrastructure needs to be flexible.	While this is a subset of enhancing learning, it is so significant that it be highlighted independently. Students and staff need access to the internet, to on-line databases (which may be local), to their school work and both while in the school buildings and while at home in order to work efficiently and effectively.
Current State
Technologies and Strategies to Achieve Goal	Universal connectivity Facilitate collaboration and best practices Differentiated Learning Enabled by one-to-one Student: device ratio Reuse and modification of lesson plans for continuous improvement and for substitutes Parent and students can access teacher lessons at home Make databases available within schools for reference material Use the forces of social networking for good	Technology available in classroom and throughout school Connectivity Devices Content Student work Reference materials Curriculum Lesson Plans Teach ethical use of technology Increase teacher comfort with multiple platforms and technologies Incorporate teacher training and support of all new technologies Formal training Community of learner/peer mentoring Self study Support resources	Use free software solutions where possible Leverage free or less costly content Electronic textbooks Online resources Curriculum Allow students to use their own devices where appropriate Take advantage of cloud computing Achieve efficiently scalable solutions Reduce capital expenditures Reduce software acquisition costs Eliminate initial deployment and upgrade cost	Use cloud computing to allow access to data and applications both at school and home and to allow more collaboration Device independence Student and Faculty content access of files from anywhere

When a new technology is considered for the Andover Public School system, that technology should be measured against the five goals listed.

Topics tabled that require further discussion I

At some point we need to decide PCs to student ratio by grade and use of other technologies such as interactive white boards or alternate projectors Develop policy and procedures for acquisition of new technology that is timely and effective ISTE Standards State Technology Curriculum standards State equipment ratio

March 2, 2010

Technology Goals	Enhance Learning	Effectively Integrate into the Classroom	Reduce Cost	Allow Flexibility	Provide Universal Connectivity
Why Goal is Important	Technology should be a tool to support the overarching learning goals of the district	No matter how great the technology is, if the teachers and students don’t embrace it, it will have no benefit. Accessible and compelling training is essential to ensure technology investments are not wasted.	Many strains already exist on our budget, keeping the cost of technology low is critical.	Technology and the world into which our students are graduating are both changing rapidly. To ensure that we can quickly change technologies at a low cost as either better solutions come available or new learning needs are identified, our technology infrastructure needs to be flexible.	While this is a subset of enhancing learning, it is so significant that it be highlighted independently. Students and staff need access to the internet, to on-line databases (which may be local), to their school work and both while in the school buildings and while at home in order to work efficiently and effectively.
Current State
Technologies and Strategies to Achieve Goal	Universal connectivity Teach ethical use of technology Make databases available within schools for reference material At some point we need to decide PCs to student ratio by grade and use of other technologies such as interactive white boards or alternate projectors	Wireless access Device independence Make databases available within schools for reference material Incorporate teaching training of all new technologies	Use free software solutions where possible Evaluate cost reductions in electronic textbooks Have students provide their own devices where appropriate Take advantage of cloud computing to achieve scalable solutions and reduce capital expenditures	Use cloud computing to allow access to data and applications both at school and home and to allow more collaboration

When a new technology is considered for the Andover Public School system, that technology should be measured against the four goals listed.